Mobile Services
BSNL, MTNL turn EBITDA positive in first half of FY21, marks improvement
NEW DELHI: State-owned telecom companies BSNL and MTNL turned EBITDA positive in the first half of financial year 2020-21, demonstrating a marked improvement in performance within a year of approval of their revival plan, the Communications Ministry said on Monday.
While EBITDA of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) rose to Rs 602 crore during the first half of 2020-2021, that of MTNL stood at Rs 276 crore, it said in a release.
Both organisations expect to reduce their losses by 50 per cent when compared to 2019-20, it said.
In so far as 4G services are concerned, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has made its position clear that core network for 4G will be “totally made in India”.
BSNL and MTNL are strategic assets, and will provide a big impetus to Indian manufacturers in the field of telecom.
“Now within a year of revival plan, the state-owned undertakings Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) have turned EBITDA positive in first six months of this financial year,” the release said.
Put simply, Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation or EBITDA is a measure of a company’s operational performance.
BSNL is once again back on the track of profitability, it added.
The improvement in performance came on the back of a sharp reduction in wage bill due to Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) under which nearly 50 per cent workforce of BSNL and 75 per cent workforce of MTNL was reduced.
Further, BSNL was able to maintain its revenue and cut down on other costs.
BSNL is also rapidly expanding its Fiber-To-The Home (FTTH) connections and the progress is being closely monitored by DoT.
“In the mobile segment, market share has increased to 10.36 per cent in October, 2020 as per figures published by TRAI. BSNL added over 10 million new customers during this financial year in mobile segment.
“This has also given fillip to government’s Digital India drive of cashless transactions as online transactions increased by over 43 per cent in December, 2020 since last financial year,” the release added.
The government had approved the revival package for BSNL and MTNL in October 2019 which included VRS, support for 4G spectrum, monetisation of core and non-core assets, sovereign guarantee for bonds to be raised by the public sector undertakings (PSUs), and merger of MTNL and BSNL in the short run.
“BSNL and MTNL have very successfully raised money from the bond route. In the recent bond offer of MTNL, the issue was subscribed more than 3 times and for BSNL more than 2 times,” it said.
MTNL and BSNL have been able to monetise core and non-core assets totalling Rs 1,830 crore in 2019-20, and the number is expected to be in excess of Rs 3,000 crore in the current year.
As many as six properties are expected to be approved for auction through DIPAM route, it pointed out.
“BSNL is monetising its tower assets by leasing out its towers. It earned Rs 1,018 crore in the previous year and has planned to securitise the earnings from tower rentals.
“BSNL towers have unique preposition of fiber connection in more than 70 per cent which make them highly attractive for telecom service providers,” it added.
Earlier on Monday, in a release summing up the developments in the sector as part of yearly review for 2020, the DoT had said the process for spectrum allocation for 4G services to BSNL on pan-India basis, including Delhi and Mumbai, has been initiated and funds have been provisioned in FY2020-21.
It said that overall 92,956 employees of both the PSUs who opted for VRS have retired on January 31, 2020.
“The salary expenditure in BSNL and MTNL has reduced by around 50 per cent (about Rs 600 crore per month) and 75 per cent (about Rs 140 crore per month), respectively. EBIDTA has become positive in first half of FY2020-21 in both BSNL and MTNL,” it said.
Further, sovereign guarantee of Rs 15,000 crore has been extended to BSNL/MTNL. They have raised funds from market to restructure existing high-cost debt, the DoT release said.
Source: Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel, India’s telecommunications services provider, today announced the launch of its ultra-fast 5G services in 125 cities. Airtel 5G Plus service is now available to customers in over 265 cities in the country.
Airtel 5G Plus has three compelling advantages for customers. First, it runs on a technology that has the widest acceptance in the world with the most developed ecosystem. This ensures that all 5G smartphones in India seamlessly work on the Airtel network. Second, the company promises to deliver the best experience – between 20 to 30 times higher speeds than today coupled with brilliant voice experience and super-fast call connect. Finally, Airtel 5G Plus network will also be kinder to the environment with its special power reduction solution. Powered by the reliable Airtel network infrastructure, Airtel 5G Plus will provide superfast access to High-Definition video streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos et all.
Commenting on the launch, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel said, “5G has revolutionized the world of internet, ushering new era of connectivity and communications that will prove to be a game-changer for the country. At Airtel, we remain committed to delivering the highest quality of network and service to our customers as we roll-out 125 more cities today. Airtel was the first in the country to offer 5G services in October 2022, and today’s mega launch is our promise to connect every Airtel customer in the country with ultra-fast Airtel 5G Plus. Our 5G rollout is on track to cover all towns and key rural areas by March 2024.”
Airtel 5G Plus service availability will continue to rapidly expand – including service in all towns and villages in the country soon – as the company is working towards offering nationwide coverage. Airtel is now offering its 5G services in every major city from the upper northern city of Jammu to the southern tip of Kanyakumari.
In the last one year, Airtel has demonstrated the power of 5G with a host of powerful use cases that will change the way customers lead their lives and do business. From India’s first live 5G network in Hyderabad to India’s first private 5G network at the BOSCH facility in Bengaluru to partnering with Mahindra & Mahindra to make its Chakan manufacturing facility, India’s first 5G enabled auto manufacturing unit, Airtel has been at the forefront of 5G innovation.
NEW DELHI: Apple Inc has rolled out a beta programme to enable 5G on Apple devices as the upgrade lets users try out pre-release software.
This software upgrade enables 5G access on Apple devices, as and when service providers Jio, Airtel and Vodafone enable 5G network access, sources said.
Apple Users have to enrol for the Beta Programme on the website, install a profile and download the software.
Jio users using iPhone 12 and above, in cities where JioTrue5G has been rolled out, will be invited to the Jio Welcome Offer. Jio Welcome Offer provides unlimited 5G data at up to 1 Gbps speed to users at no additional cost. However, there is a condition that prepaid users must be on active Rs 239 and above plan. All Postpaid users are eligible for this trial.
Airtel is not providing any special 5G offer like Jio to their users. In the cities/areas in which the Airtel 5G network has been launched, users can trial 5G services as a part of their existing plan, once they have updated the latest Apple Beta software.
While an email sent to Apple did not solicit an immediate response, the firm had last month stated: “We are working with our carrier partners in India to bring the best 5G experience to iPhone users as soon as network validation and testing for quality and performance is completed. 5G will be enabled via a software update and will start rolling out to iPhone users in December”.
Airtel and Jio customers on iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (3rd generation) models can experience 5G as part of Apple’s iOS 16 Beta Software Program. The Apple Beta Software Program is open to anyone with a valid Apple ID who accepts the Apple Beta Software Program Agreement during the sign-up process.
If a user has an iCloud account, that is an Apple ID, it is recommended they use that. If they do not have an iCloud account or any other Apple ID, they can create one.
Customers who want to try the beta software should back up their iPhones before installing the beta software. It is recommended to install the beta software only on non-production devices that are not business-critical. Users can also provide feedback to Apple on quality and usability, which helps Apple identify issues, fix them, and make Apple software even better.
The iOS beta comes with the built-in Feedback Assistant app, which can be opened from the Home screen on the iPhone or iPad or from the Dock on the Mac.
Source: Press Trust of India
5g
Nokia wins multi-year deal with Reliance Jio India to build one of the largest 5G networks in the world
NEW DELHI: Nokia has announced that it has been selected as a major supplier by Reliance Jio to supply 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment from its comprehensive AirScale portfolio countrywide in a multi-year deal. Reliance Jio is India’s number one mobile operator and has one of the largest RAN footprints in the world.
Under the contract, Nokia will supply equipment from its AirScale portfolio, including base stations, high-capacity 5G Massive MIMO antennas, and Remote Radio Heads (RRH) to support different spectrum bands, and self-organizing network software. Reliance Jio plans to deploy a 5G standalone network which will interwork with its 4G network. The network will enable Reliance Jio to deliver advanced 5G services such as massive machine-to-machine communications, network slicing, and ultra-low-latency.
Akash Ambani, Chairman Reliance Jio, commented: “We are pleased to be working with Nokia for our 5G SA deployment in India. Jio is committed to continuously investing in the latest network technologies to enhance the experience of all of its customers. We are confident that our partnership with Nokia will deliver one of the most advanced 5G networks globally.”
Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO at Nokia stated: “This is a significant win for Nokia in an important market and a new customer with one of the largest RAN footprints in the world. This ambitious project will introduce millions of people across India to premium 5G services, enabled by our industry-leading AirScale portfolio. We are proud that Reliance Jio has placed its trust in our technology and we look forward to a long and productive partnership with them.”
Nokia has a long-standing presence in India. This new deal will mean that Nokia is now supplying India’s three largest mobile operators.
